Venom: The Last Dance Release Date, Cast, Director And More Details
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A few short years ago, the notion of a standalone "Venom" film — almost entirely separated from the "Spider-Man" corner of the Marvel world — may have seemed like a bizarre proposition. Now, following the smashing success of "Venom" in 2018 and "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" in 2021, the symbiotic antihero has become one of the most essential characters in the Sony-owned Marvel roster, as well as the lead of a billion-dollar franchise.
The series has found success largely thanks to two major factors. First, Venom has been one of Spider-Man's most popular foes since he first appeared in the 1980s. Second, Tom Hardy absolutely owns the dual roles of Eddie Brock and his alien counterpart, giving wonderfully wild performances as the high-strung reporter and his always-hungry symbiote. But when will we see this killer couple back on the big screen? Well, it looks like our extraterrestrial boy is getting a serious craving for more chocolate (or human brains) because "Venom 3" — now titled "Venom: The Last Dance" — is on the way, and here's everything we know about the upcoming superhero movie.
When will Venom: The Last Dance be released?
The last time we saw Eddie Brock and his toothy pal, they were actually moonlighting in someone else's movie, appearing in the post-credit scene for "Spider-Man: No Way Home." After Dr. Strange's spell sent them back to their own dimension, we've been waiting for Venom's grand return, and now we know exactly when the heads will start to fly.
At one point, the third "Venom" was aiming for an October 2024 release date, but due to the 2023 actors' strike, Sony Pictures shuffled their schedule around and bumped the movie up to July 12. However, it wouldn't stay there for long. When the actors' strike finally ended in November 2023, Sony decided to kick "Venom: The Last Dance" back a couple of months to November 2024. But now, the movie is moving back to October, with a — hopefully final – release date of October 25, 2024. It looks like October will be a big month for darker comic book characters, as "Joker: Folie à Deux" comes out just a few weeks earlier.
What is the plot of Venom: The Last Dance?
There's no official plot synopsis for "Venom: The Last Dance," but "Let There Be Carnage" did possibly tease the terror to come. After Detective Patrick Mulligan was kidnapped by Cletus Cassady and almost murdered by Shriek, his eyes turned an eerie shade of blue, and we heard him whisper the word "monsters" ... so what does that mean?
Well, "Let There Be Carnage" was possibly setting up the introduction of Toxin. In 2004's "Venom vs. Carnage" comic storyline, the titular red Klyntar gives birth to Toxin, who then bonds with the aforementioned Mulligan. One of the most powerful symbiotes, Toxin has intense levels of bloodlust, but unlike his dastardly dad, he often finds himself fighting for good, especially when he's bonded with Mulligan. If Toxin appears in "The Last Dance," will the symbiote ally himself with Eddie, or will Mulligan's goodness give way to Toxin's hunger for brains?
There's also the possibility that Mulligan is now a straight-up baddie thanks to Shriek, Cassady's dangerous girlfriend. In the comics, the supersonic supervillain can manipulate people's dark sides, turning normal citizens into monstrous killers. Is it possible that before she died, she unlocked something evil inside of Mulligan's mind? We're not sure yet if actor Stephen Graham is returning to play the NYPD detective in "The Last Dance," but if he does, we're assuming he'll be a major player in the plot.
As for other story details, in May 2023, Tom Hardy shared a black-and-white photo where he's wearing the same exact Hawaiian-themed clothing we saw him sporting during the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" post-credit scene. So will the third "Venom" movie begin as soon as Eddie gets sucked back into his dimension? Will some version of Spider-Man show up, or will there be some connection to the MCU? We can't wait to find out.
Who is starring in Venom: The Last Dance?
You can't have a "Venom" movie without Tom Hardy. Aside from perhaps Max Rockatansky in "Fury Road," Eddie Brock is Hardy's most famous character. He clearly relishes playing the perpetually overwhelmed journalist and the constantly angry but well-meaning alien, but who will be joining Hardy in this third outing for Sony?
Well, we know two big names who've signed up for the film. First, there's Juno Temple — who stole the spotlight as Keely Jones in "Ted Lasso" — and then there's Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Mordo in the MCU's "Doctor Strange" series. According to reliable scooper Daniel Richtman, Ejiofor will be playing Orwell Taylor, the leader of The Jury, a vigilante group created to kill Venom. Of course, that hasn't been officially confirmed yet, but either way, we're glad to see Ejiofor here as he's one of the best actors in the game, giving mind-blowing performances in projects like "12 Years a Slave," "The Martian," and "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
As for the rest of the cast, we're assuming that Michelle Williams and Reid Scott will return as Anne Weying and Dr. Dan Lewis, respectively. Chances are also pretty good that Stephen Graham will be coming back as Detective Patrick Mulligan, as "Let There Be Carnage" teased his character might become pretty toxic. Plus, Peggy Lu is still clearly game to appear in these movie. The actress made a hilarious cameo as Mrs. Chen in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," so we're pretty sure she'll be back to her cranky ways in "Venom: The Last Dance."
Who is writing and directing Venom: The Last Dance?
The original "Venom" was directed by Ruben Fleischer of "Zombieland" fame, while the sequel was helmed by the one and only Andy Serkis. Will either of these filmmakers be coming back for the madness of "Venom: The Last Dance?" Well, as it turns out, the third movie will be overseen by a first-time director but someone who's been a crucial component to the success of the "Venom" franchise.
"Venom: The Last Dance" will be helmed by Kelly Marcel, who co-wrote the original installment and wrote the sequel solo. Reportedly, Marcel and Hardy majorly vibe when it comes to what makes Venom special, seeing eye to eye on where to take the character. So, in addition to directing "The Last Dance," Marcel is also writing the script, with a story she developed with Hardy himself. In addition to the "Venom" series, Marcel penned "Saving Mr. Banks" and the script for "Fifty Shades of Grey," and not only does she have Hardy's support, she also has Andy Serkis in her corner.
Speaking with /Film, the Gollum actor turned director explained that he couldn't work on part three because he was busy with his adaptation of "Animal Farm." However, he's super psyched for what the superhero series has in store, explaining, "I'm really delighted that Kelly's doing ['Venom 3']. She's so in control of that material with Tom. The pair of them are such a great team to work with. I'm really excited to see what they're going to come up with."
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Is Venom: The Last Dance the last Venom movie?
Everybody's super psyched to see Venom back in action, but will this be the last time we see the gooey superhero on the big screen? In November 2023, Tom Hardy took to Instagram and shared a photo celebrating the film's upcoming release. In the post, he praised the cast and crew, writing, "We've come a long way. It's been and continues to be a lot of fun, this journey. There's always hard turns to burn when we work, but doesn't feel as hard when you love what you do and when you know you have great material and the support, at all sides, of a great team."
In the same Instagram post, Hardy also described the third "Venom" movie as "the last dance," which was later announced to be the proper title of the film. Could this mean Eddie Brock only has one more adventure left? In an era of cinematic universes and endless sequels, it's hard to imagine Venom just disappearing, especially since we've yet to see him face off with Spider-Man. However, there have been rumors of a Sinister Six film, so perhaps "Venom 3" will be the last proper Venom film, but we'll still see Eddie join up with characters like Kraven the Hunter and Michael Keaton's Vulture in a spin-off movie. Or — with a title like "The Last Dance" — maybe the actor will just waltz off into the sunset for good after the credits roll.
Where to watch the other Venom movies
Before Eddie Brock and Venom return to the big screen — protecting the streets with their keen eye for journalism and ravenous appetite for human flesh — it might be a good idea to check out all the madness that went down in the previous "Venom" movies.
If you want to watch the film that started it all, then you'll need to visit 2018's "Venom." It's here that Eddie Brock first encounters the angry symbiote, and together, they work to stop a powerful businessman from destroying the world. The movie also features one of the nuttiest scenes in superhero history, with Tom Hardy cooling off in a tank full of lobsters. You can stream "Venom" on Disney+, or you can rent it on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube.
Now, it's time to check out 2021's gloriously over-the-top sequel, "Let There Be Carnage." The film pits Eddie and Venom up against an absolutely bonkers Woody Harrelson, playing the out-of-control Cletus Cassady and his deadly symbiote buddy, Carnage. With Hardy and Harrelson both hamming it up, "Let There Be Carnage" is tons of kooky fun. Plus, the scene where Venom decides to cook a little breakfast with some musical accompaniment is peak cinema. You can rent the sequel on sites like Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, and Vudu.
Plus, if you're needing resolution for the "Let There Be Carnage" post-credit scene, check out "Spider-Man: No Way Home." You can stream the multiverse adventure on Starz or purchase the film on any of the aforementioned sites.